Veni Vidi Vici
by pugsalert
Summary: Pokemon Ace Trainer Dia, has arrived in her home region, Unova, after travelling far and wide to meet and catch new Pokemon from across many regions. Her plans to journey back to her home town becomes delayed as she encounters Ash Ketchum and his partner, Pikachu, and join him and Iris on their journey, meeting new friends and finding love in the from of a childhood friend.
1. Home Sweet Home

Chapter One, **Home Sweet Home**

The familiar cries of the Swanna in the sky made her smile widely, and when she spotted the land ahead she almost jumped with joy. The girl gripped the railings of the boat and leaned dangerously forward- not that she paid it any mind- as if it would urge the boat faster to her destination. She laughed, her blue eyes sparkling, as a wild Alomomola jumped out of the water and dived back to the sea.

"Look at that, we're almost home!" The girl said, an English accent on her tongue. The Eevee resting on her shoulder nuzzled its owner, "Vee! Vee!"

The girl closed her eyes as the breeze drifted pass her. Her dark blond hair flowed behind her, a blush entered her pale skin as she bathed in the warm sun. As if noticing something, the Eevee on her shoulder perked up, its ears twitching. "Vee,Vee! Eevee!" It tried to catch its owner's attention.

The girl looked at Eevee, who was frantically pointing to her blue shoulder bag. She quickly caught on and checked the insides of her bag and sighed like a mother who had dealt enough of her kid's tantrums. "Good grief, that rascal's too curious for his own good." Eevee agreed, nodding it's head. "Well then, let's find him before we get off, shall we?" The girl started walking to the door as the Eevee pouted, not wanting to leave the beautiful scenery.

The girl laughed, "Oh, now don't be like that. You know how he gets if we don't stop him." The Eevee merely poked out its tongue, erupting another laugh from the girl.

Inside the ship's cafe, the passengers were enjoying their last meal on the ship, excited chatter consumed the room as well as the calls of their faithful Pokemon companions. But if look closer at this peaceful scene, you could spot a hand sneakily snatching food off of both Pokemon and people's plates, and hear the mischievous laugh of a little troublemaker.

 _"Ehihihihi,"_ was the sound made when people noticed something missing in their plate.

"Hey! Where did my muffin go?"

"I swear I left some strawberries here!"

"My berries!"

A boy with a mess of black hair and twinkling blue eyes, giggled from behind a pillar, his grin wide and full of mischief, a variety of food was piled in his arms and he took an Oran berry and popped it in his mouth. "Ehihihi," he quickly tiptoed out of the room but paused mid-step when he spotted the very delicious and tempting looking slice of apple pie on a lone table in the corner, complete with a generous amount of whipped cream and stripes of chocolate.

The boy drooled at the sight of it and quickly made his way to the table. Just before his hands were a hair away from the slice, a hand caught his wrist in a tight grip.

"Ahem." The boy's eyes quickly snapped to the hand's owner. A man wearing a cap over his long green hair, which was tied into a low ponytail, and soft green eyes that betrayed his amusement stood before him. He rose a brow before turning the boy at an angle and quickly grabbed the fluffy tail from his behind.

The boy suddenly jerked up and spun around, dropping the pile of food, his form enveloped in a pink light before it stopped and turned into a fox-like creature with the colors or red and shades of gray and black, a white bandanna was wrapped around its neck. It laughed the same mischievous laugh as it stared slyly at the man who crouched before it.

"Now, where has your owner gone?" The man asked, reaching a hand to pet its head.

"Zorua! There you are!" The man turned around and spotted a girl wearing a red varsity jacket over a pale shirt, gray pants and brown boots. An Eevee was perched on her shoulder, wearing a pink bow on its right ear. The girl's Zorua ducked under his hand and climbed on the girl's empty shoulder, the Eevee was giving it a look a mother would normally give to their child who was caught being naughty, and Zorua, being the child it is, merely giggled. "What sort of shenanigans have you gotten yourself into now?"

"How about snatching food from other people's plates?"

She looked at him as if she he had just appeared out of nowhere, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Quickly composing herself, she held a hand out to him.

"I'm Dia, my apology for not introducing myself sooner." She gave him a sheepish smile as he took her hand and shook it.

"I'm N, and it's no worries." He smiled. "You're Zorua is quite the mischief-maker."

"Aren't they all?" She chuckled, "Thanks for stopping him though. Once he's up to no good he just won't stop until someone stops him."

"Again, it's no worries," his smiles softly before his eyes snap to the Pokemon on her shoulders. Sensing something wasn't right, Dia furrowed her brows.

"Excuse me, are you alright?"

As if snapping out of a daze, N slightly shook his head and looked at Dia with a smile. "Your Pokemon seems to be happy with you, I can feel their loyalty and...love, for you."

Dia smiled at him brightly then looked at her two companions, "Is that so? We'll we've been through thick and thin together, as well as many battles." Her two Pokemon voiced their agreement and nuzzled their owner.

If Dia had tore her gaze from her Pokemon she could see N's eyes darken at her mention of battles.

" _Attention all passengers, we have arrived in the Unova Region, location: Nuvema Town. Please disembark in an orderly fashion. Thank you for boarding the Wailord cruise. Enjoy your stay."_ The friendly voice from the speakers announced.

"It was nice meeting you N. I hope to see you around." Dia headed to the exit and turned to wave one last time but he had disappeared. With a shrug, she headed to the main exit, too excited to question his disappearance.

Dia stretched her limbs once she had arrived at the port, "We're just a step closer to home you guys!"

"Dia! Dia, over here!" A voice called out to her through the crowd.

"Vee! Vee!" Eevee pointed a paw to a woman who was waving to them.

Dia smiled at the familiar face and waved back, jogging over to the older woman, "Professor Juniper! It's been a while."

The Professor smiled, "Yes it has, hasn't it? My, my, have you grown." She switched her attention to Eevee, "Looks like Eevee's being taken great care of." Her eyes then spotted Zorua, who's head had popped out of Dia's bag and was grinning at the Professor, "Oh my goodness. A Zorua! It's so rare to see one in Unova! How did you manage to obtain one?"

Dia smiled sheepishly, "Oh, well, A nice old lady had given me an egg to look after during my journey and it hatched along the way. It took me completely by surprise, I didn't expect a Zorua to hatch, but I'm glad it did." She scratched the said Pokemon behind its ears, "And I'm sure Eevee is too, she loves to mother him all the time." "Vee!" Eevee nodded.

Professor Juniper smiled, "Well, it's been a long journey for you. We'll get your bags and make a short visit to my lab. I'm sure you're eager to tell your parents you're back and be on your way home."

"You have no idea," Dia said.

When they had arrived at Professor Juniper's lab, Dia was greeted by panicked scientists, all dashing about, papers were littered on the floor and they seemed to be searching for something. The two were stunned at the chaos but the Professor was the first to snap out of it.

"What is going on here!" Juniper shouted, and as if Moses had parted the sea, the clutter of scientists straightened and formed two wonky lines.

A round man with square rimmed glasses spoke up, "Professor Juniper, we can't find Oshawott anywhere!"

"Yes, and also one of the Patrats had managed to sneak in the control room and has been chewing with the wire and damaging our computers!" A woman spoke up.

"And I leave for only a couple of minutes," she mutters, exasperated. She turns to Dia and places something in her hand, "I never did got the chance to give you this, but this is called an Xtransciever. It's for keeping in contact wherever you are, you can call your parents from there."

Dia attached the device to her wrist, Zorua was sniffing at it curiously, "Thank you very much, Professor. I'll take good care of it."

Professor Juniper chuckled, "Don't worry about it, your mum asked me to do it, so how could I refuse?" Dia blushed, a bit embarrassed that her mum still fussed even if she was far away, "Anyway, there's a spare bicycle you could use in the storage room, I'd be happy to lend it to you."

Dia's eyes widened at her offer and politely refused, but the Professor would have none of it. "It's fine, really, it's all yours. I doubt anyone in here would need it."

With reluctance, Dia accepted and went to get the bike. It was in good shape, a little rust was showing but nothing to worry about. She placed both Zorua and Eevee in the basket in front of the bike and headed to the entrance.

"Oh, and by the way, you might meet a young trainer on your way. His name's Ash, wish him good luck for me!" The Professor waved goodbye as Dia nodded and waved as well.

Dia hopped on the bike and looked down at the two Pokemon in the basket. "You guys ready to head home?"

"Vee!" Zorua merely grinned.

"Alright then. Let's go!"

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed this. I'm a fan of Pokemon and it was a big part of my childhood, I love it to bits. I'm a bit of a lazy butt and you'll get the next chapter whenever I feel like it's worthy enough, and I'd bee graduating soon, so more free time.

 **Disclaimer!** I don't own Pokemon or any photos (My sister drew my OC and I just put the whole thing together).

Anyway, please **Review** , it's what urges me to update faster.

 _-Pugs out!_


	2. A Mischievous Fox Leads To New Friends

Chapter Two, **A Mischievous Fox Leads To New Friends!**

"Oh my, - _huff huff_ \- this is one - _huff_ \- steep- _huff huff_ \- hill!" Dia struggled to push her bike up the hill, her legs threatening to collapse from underneath her. Eevee and Zorua were urging her on with a chant in their from their place in the basket. "Almost… to the… to the top!"

Once she had reached to the top she dropped to her knees, leaning on her bike and panting heavily. Her two Pokemon jumped down and rubbed their heads on her knee, trying to hearten their trainer. "I'll be - _huff huff-_ alright. Just need a bit of rest, that's all, and maybe a drink." She leaned back to a tree and rummaged for a drink bottle from her bag, nearly drenching herself trying to take a sip. "Ahh, much better." Dia closed her eyes and savored the cool breeze and the smell of nature.

"Eevee! Vee!" Eevee's call snapped her out of her moment and she saw Eevee pointing urgently at the retreating form of Zorua. Dia's eyes widened and she hurried upright and snatched her bag.

"Zorua! Come back here, you rascal!" They rushed after the Tricky-Fox Pokemon, completely missing the wild Scolipede that emerged from the bushes and gave the bike a curious sniff before stabbing it with its horns and toss it away.

The three delved deeper in the forest, Dia managed to scoop up the grinning Pokemon, trying to catch her breath. Eevee hopped on her shoulder and started to scold Zorua in their Pokemon language, "Eevee! Vee, vee!"

"You know better than to run off like that, Zorua." She chided, wiggling a finger at the giggling Pokemon. "Now, we best-" An loud explosion erupted from the distance, clouds of smoke reaching to the clear sky. Zorua had jumped from the sudden noise and hid itself inside her bag.

"Oh my, we need to check that out. Someone might be in trouble!" With a nod from Eevee, they hurried to the direction of the explosion.

They arrived at an open field and witnessed a big balloon, with the letter R in the middle, taking flight and two Pokemon held inside a glass cage beneath it.

" _Pikachu!"_

Dia's eyes snapped to the side, where a young boy and girl where quickly making their way up the tree. Her eyes scanned the scene and she had quickly came to a conclusion that the two people and the Meowth on the balloon had stolen the two kids' Pokemon, their smirking faces only proved her deduction to be correct.

" _Pikachu, Axew, I'm coming!"_ The boy suddenly leaped up from the tree, reaching a hand to the glass cage but, as Dia had expected, it was out of his reach. With quick thinking and lightning speed, she pulled out her Pokeball and tossed it in the air.

"Braviary, catch him before he falls!" The Valiant-Pokemon appeared and quickly fulfilled its trainer's command. With a cry of its name, Braviary swooped down and caught the surprised young trainer by his hood, setting him softly on the ground.

"Now Eevee, use Hyper Voice!" Without hesitation, the Evolution-Pokemon performed the move without flaw. A scalchop suddenly flew from the air and made a hole on the balloon, and at the same time the glass cage shattered from Eevee's Hyper Voice.

"Quick, catch them, Braviary!" Dia pointed to the falling Pokemon, she took notice of the Oshawott that caught its scalchop and place it firmly on its stomach before concentrating on her Pokemon. Braviary hovered above the two trainers and gently dropped their rightful Pokemon in their arms. Dia managed to give a quick smile before a voice shouted.

"Another twerp?!"

"How dare you-"

" _No!_ How dare _you_!" Dia quickly cut the woman off, "I won't allow thieves to take away trainer's Pokemon, what gives you the right?!" The two trainers, who's Pokemon were tucked safety in their arms, watched their rescuer with awe.

"Let's teach them a lesson, Braviary. Sky Attack, go!"

The trainer snapped out of it and called his Piakchu, "Let's help them out, Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

The woman tossed her Pokeball, "Woobat, use Air Slash!" A Woobat appeared and performed the attack, successfully hitting both Pikachu and Axew, but Braviary had dodged swiftly and had managed to graze the foe's Woobat with its attack. "No! Woobat!" The woman's Woobat wavered in its flight, its right wing seemed to hold the most damage. "Grr, Air Slash again!" The woman glared at Dia, who held her gaze defiantly and with determination.

"Braviary, quick-" The Oshawott suddenly stood in front of them with casual bravado and used Water Gun, sending Woobat crashing back to the group in a heap of limbs on the ground. Dia saw her chance and attacked, the young trainer seemed to think so as well as he urged his Pikachu up.

"Eevee, use Shadow Ball!" " _Vee!"_

"Use Volt Tackle!" " _Pika, Pika, Pika, Pika!"_

The young trainer's Pikachu charged forward, electricity covering its body, and Eevee opened its mouth charging up a dark ball. The group of criminals suddenly threw a smoke bomb to the ground and made their escape, the two Pokemons' attacks missing completely. Dia clicked her tongue in frustration when the smoke cleared and a worn out Pikachu stood panting and looking around.

"I guess Team Rocket got away..." Dia raised a brow at the familiar name. She turned to the two trainers and her gaze softened.

"Are you two alright?" The two trainers eyes widened once they made eye contact with the older trainer. They stuttered their affirmatives and the male trainer's eyes widened once his eyes caught his Pokemon collapse from behind her, the girl's Axew followed in suit. He quickly made his way to his partner and Dia sent her Braviary back to it's Pokeball with a nod of thanks, Eevee quickly hopping on her shoulder. She made her way quickly beside the distressed trainers.

"We need to get them to the Pokemon Center quickly! I know the nearest place, follow me." Without hesitation the trainers followed the mysterious girl, too worried for their Pokemon's well being to question her.

The Pokemon Center was only five minutes away with the quick pace they set and they had managed to send their Pokemon to Nurse Joy without furthering the damage. Now, they were sent to wait anxiously by the waiting room. Dia had generously bought all three of them a soda and the trainers gratefully accepted it.

"We never really got to thank you back then, so thank you for helping us against Team Rocket," the boy said after taking a sip from his can.

Dia smiled, petting her Eevee, who was curled up on her lap. "It's no problem at all. I just can't stand people who take others Pokemon, especially little kids like you, it just grates my nerves." She missed the pout the bushy haired girl made at her comment of 'little kids like you'.

"I'm Ash Ketchum and I'm from Pallet Town" Dia couldn't help but notice his smile was infectious and found herself smiling back. She looked expectantly at the tanned girl.

"I'm Iris, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." She focused her attention on Ash, "You're quite a long way from home, aren't you Ash? So what brings you to the Unova Region?" Dia took a sip from her can.

"My goal is to be a Pokemon Master and meet all the Pokemon everywhere! That's why I traveled here." Ash exclaimed.

"A very impressive goal indeed." Dia nodded. Eevee stretched on her lap and jumped on the table, gazing curiously at the two, its head tilted cutely to the side. "Vee?"

"An Eevee! It's so cute!" Iris reached out and petted Eevee. "So soft!"

Ash pulled out his Pokedex to scan the Pokemon in front of him and the familiar robotic voice read out information in it's staccato speech.

" _Eevee. The Evolution Pokemon. It is a rare Pokémon that adapts to harsh environments by taking on different evolutionary forms."_

"Wow," Ash muttered, staring at the Eevee with sparkling eyes. Zorua chose that moment to pop out of Dia's bag with a _'huff',_ it hopped to the table and nuzzled Eevee, giving the shocked trainers a wide grin.

"Ehihihi... _Hello strangers~"_

The two trainers nearly jumped ten feet in the air, their jaws flat on the floor, eyes wide and disbelieving as they stared at the Zorua scratching behind it's ears, its grin still intact.

"I-I-It talks!" Iris exclaimed.

" _Of course I talk. I love to talk!"_

"Amazing! How does it do that?" Ash asked.

Dia smiled and scratched Zorua behind its ears, "Zorua can speak because of the help of Telepathy, only a handful of Pokemon are known to have achieved this. It's pretty amazing, don't you think?" Zorus puffed its chest out proudly while Eevee rolled its eyes

Both Ash and Iris nodded numbly, still recovering from their shock of a talking Pokemon. "Not only is a Zorua rare in the Unova region, a talking one is too!" Iris said.

" _Pokemon Trainer Ash Ketchum and Iris, please head to the counter. Your Pokemon are ready to be discharged."_ A voice from the speakers spoke. Dia followed the two to the counter, where a Pidove, a Pikachu and an Axew stood waited next to Nurse Joy.

"Thank you for waiting." Nurse Joy's sweet voice said, "I'm happy to say your Pokemon are feeling just fine!" The Pokemon happily returned to their trainers, who embraced them.

"Oh, I'm so relieved!" Iris said, cuddling her Axew.

"That's great Nurse Joy!" Ash exclaimed, "Thank you."

"I must say, seeing a Pikachu is very unusual in this region." Nurse Joy said.

"I would say so too," Dia joined in. "It's because Ash here is all the way from Pallet Town, from the Kanto Region. This might very well be his first Pokemon Centre in the Unova Region. Am I right?" Ash nodded.

"Then welcome!" Nurse Joy said, "And just like Kanto, if your Pokemon ever need help, or anything at all, feel free to stop by anytime."

Ash smiled, "Thank you!"

"I have to say Ash, you're not bad" Iris spoke up. "You're still a kid, but I am impressed. You saved Axew, so thank you."

Dia was about to comment that Iris didn't look much older than Ash, when the said boy spoke up.

"Well you should really be thanking Dia and that Oshawott too." Iris hastily thanked Dia, blushing furiously at forgetting her manners. Dia laughed and waved it off. "Though I'm still wondering why that Oshawott would help us like that."

"You know," Dia said, "Some Pokemon rush to help those in need out of the blue because of instinct or because they're really noble, it just proves how amazing Pokemon are. They're like super heroes, don't you think?" The two trainers voiced their agreements, laughing gleefully and missing the blushing face of the Oshawott peeking from the window.

It was already getting dark and Dia had decided to treat them for dinner. Ash was practically inhaling the food before him, Iris had the decency to eat with better table manners and Dia merely laughed at his antics. Their Pokemon were sharing bowls of Pokemon food on the ground, Pikachu was entertaining them by balancing food on its nose.

"So," Dia said, popping a grape in her mouth, "Are you two headed off to Striaton City by any chance?"

Ash swallowed his food before replying, "Yeah, that's where I'll be getting my first Gym badge! How did you know?"

"That's usually where new trainers start for their first badge," Dia winked. "I just so happen to be going there myself."

"How come?" Iris asked.

"Are you going to battle the Gym leader too?" Ash asked through mouthfuls of food.

Dia shook her head, "No, just visiting some old friends." She smirked, "And besides, I don't really need a gym badge."

"Really? Why's that?"

Dia reached into her bag and pulled out a case, she opened it and Ash nearly choked on his food, while Iris stared with wide-eyes at the contents of the case.

All eight badges twinkled and winked at them. The two trainers awed at the shiny badges.

"Wow! So you've got all eight badges."

"That's right. I've had these for a long time. Like you, Ash, I traveled across Regions to meet new Pokemon and defeat Gym leaders. I guess the next stop for me is the Unova League."

"That's...That's amazing!" Iris exclaimed.

Dia looked at Ash, who was staring at her with fire in his eyes. She nearly smiled at the familiar look. It was a look she knew all to well, she saw it in many of the trainers she had battled, the gym leaders and even in herself. She liked Ash, and she's seen many trainers in her travels, but Ash… Ash, she could feel, was something else.

"Dia, let's have a Pokemon battle. First thing in the morning, before we head off to Striaton City!" Ash declared, his face screamed determination.

"Ash, are you crazy?! She's got eight-"

"I accept."

"What?!"

Dia's grin could almost rival Zorua's as she stared at Ash's burning eyes. "I accept your request, Ash Ketchum. I want to see what you are made of!"

* * *

 _Big thank you for those people who took the time to check this out. This chapter is dedicated to my first reviewer, **Guest.** I tweaked Cilan's age a bit, he's going to be 17 years old, because the thought of a 15 year old running a cafe, being a waiter and having women wanting his attention doesn't suit right for me (My OC is also 17). Hope you guys liked this chapter, and please **Review!**_

 _ **Disclaimer** is said in the first chapter._

 _-Pugs out!_


	3. Dia vs Ash! The Beginnings Of Rivalry!

Chapter Three, **Dia vs Ash! The Beginnings Of Rivalry!**

It was just a few hours after dawn, two trainers stood on either sides of the field. Ash Ketchum gazed fiercely at his competitor, Dia, who stood with her hands on her hips and a smirk was placed in her lips. Both Eevee and Zorua was sitting obediently at either side of her, staring at Pikachu with determination.

Iris stood on the side, directly in the middle, her eyes still heavy with sleep. "I'll be the referee. This will be a…a-" she yawned, "a two on two battle. There won't be any substitutions, is that clear?"

Both trainers nodded, their burning eyes never leaving the other, "Yes," "Absolutely."

"Now… _Begin!"_ "Axew!"

"If you don't mind, Ash," Dia said, catching Ash's attention. "May I request for Pikachu to be your first Pokemon in battle?"

The young trainer grinned down to his partner, "I don't mind, I was about to pick Pikachu first anyway. But only if you choose your Eevee."

"Fair enough." Dia nodded and looked down to Eevee, who stared back with excitement in its eyes, "Eevee, if you will."

"Vee!" Eevee leaped into the battlefield, its stance ready for battle. Zorua jumped happily, cheering for his dear friend, " _Go big sister! Win, win, win!_ "

Ash turned to his partner, "You ready Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded and entered the field, its pouches releasing sparks of electricity. "Pika!"

Dia smirked, "After you."

"You asked for it! Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Pikachu dashed forward with incredible speed, eyes locked on his target.

"Shadow Ball, Eevee." Eevee opened its mouth, a dark ball full of power charged up. "Veeeee…. Eevee!" Eevee released the move, the ball heading straight towards Pikachu, a trail of dust following it. Pikachu dodged the attack with the help of its Quick Attack move and successfully hit Eevee, sending her skidding back.

"A direct hit!" Iris exclaimed, totally engrossed at the battle before her. Her Axew, which was peeking from inside her mess of hair, watched with wide eyes.

"Not bad, Ash." Dia said.

Ash grinned and ran a hand over his cap, "Thanks, but you haven't seen anything yet. Volt Tackle!" Pikachu charged towards its opponent, electricity covering it's body.

"Hyper Voice, Eevee." The Evolution-Pokemon steadied its stance before letting out the powerful attack. Pikachu's step faltered as the force slowed it down, its ear flat on its head in an effort to block out the noise.

"Push through it, Pikachu!"

"More power, Eevee." The command was granted as the attack became more forceful and the sharp winds rougher, canceling Pikachu's move and blowing him away. He skidded across the field before managing to keep it upright, dirt clinging to its yellow fur.

"What power!" Ash muttered, watching the small Eevee stand proudly on front of its trainer, who watched him with a thoughtful gaze.

"Eevee, use Iron Tail." Dia commanded. Eevee rushed towards Pikachu, its tail hardening and turning into steel. It jumped up and brought its tail down.

"Dodge it Pikachu and you use Iron Tail too!" Ash snapped out of his thoughts, willing himself to concentrate. He could feel that familiar racing of his heart as adrenalin started to set in, his heart beating as one with his Pokemon.

Pikachu rolled away just in time, a huge crater was placed where it once stood, its tail transforming into the same hard steel and charged. "Pika!" Their tails clashed with a _clang!_ "Vee!"

"Keep using Iron Tail until you hit Eevee." Pikachu jumped back and swung its tail, but Eevee dodged in time and quickly swung its tail, hitting Pikachu in the cheek and sending it back with a cry. "Pika!"

"Oh no! Pikachu!" Ash shouted with worry. His Pokemon was struggling on its feet, legs shaking in a painful effort to stand. "Pika…." With a push, Pikachu was up and standing again, a will to fight still glowing brightly in its eyes.

"Alright, now Volt Tackle, again!" Pikachu charges again, towards a smirking Eevee who waited patiently for her trainer's command as the Mouse-Pokemon advanced.

"Jump, and use Shadow Ball," Dia called. It happened in less than a second, Pikachu was just a hair from making a direct hit when Eevee jumped and everything was suddenly in slow motion; Pikachu had only managed to look over its shoulder when a powerful Shadow Ball hit him square in the back, making a small crater in the field.

Eevee jumped back and they all waited for the dust to clear out and see the outcome. Ash chewed his lip anxiously, he knew his Pikachu was strong but with the power of that Shadow Ball there was no way any Pokemon could… no, he believed in his partner, he'll still-

The dust cleared out and they could see the limp yellow figure smack in the middle of the crater, unconscious. "Pika….."

Iris stepped up with a disappointed sigh, muttering something along the lines of 'such a kid…', "Pikachu is unable to battle, Eevee is the winner."

Ash ran to his fallen partner and gathered it to his arms. Pikachu, now conscious, looked down in shame at the defeat. "Hey, buddy, don't worry about it. You did a great job." Ash smiled.

"I think we should end our battle here." Dia said as Eevee climbed to her shoulder, walking towards Ash and held up a hand for him to take. "You and your partner battled beautifully."

Ash took her hand and she helped him to his feet, "Thanks-"

"But," she cut in, "you're still a rookie and I'm an Ace Trainer. My Pokemon and I go way back, so you've still a long way from defeating me." She smirked at his challenging look.

"Oh yeah? Just you wait, I'm entering the Unova League too, so I'll be waiting to battle you and win!" Ash shouted.

"That's a promise." She winked and suddenly felt her Xtransceiver vibrating. "You best head to the Pokemon Center and be on your way."

"But what about you? I thought you were coming with us to Striaton City."

"Sorry, but I've business to attend to," she waved the Xtransceiver on her wrist, it's screen bright and alerting her of an incoming call. "Maybe I'll see you there, but for now we part ways. Until then!" Dia waved as the two trainers headed back to the Pokemon Center and giggled when she caught Iris chastising Ash about how 'she told him so' and 'only a kid like you could do something so reckless.'

Dia quickly accepted the call and saw the familiar wheat colored wall, a sweet family portrait hung on the wall, accompanied with more framed photos of her family. A smile found its way to her lips when a sweet old voice came through, with the same English accent as Dia's.

"Did I press the right button? Can I speak now?" A voice from far away replied with something she couldn't comprehend. "Oh, alright. Hullo? Dia?" Though there was a voice, the person didn't seem to figure out that they had to stand in front of the camera to be seen.

"Hullo, Mum. I'm here, how are you?" Dia laughed.

"Mum, you're suppose to sit in front of the camera so she could see you." Her older brother's deep voice said as he lead an old woman with silver hair, tied into a low ponytail, and pretty blue eyes to the camera. A wide smile erupted from her sweet face, showing the wrinkles in he corner of her eyes and her forehead.

"Sweetheart, you're finally back in Unova! How was the trip? Your Pokemon, are they alright? Have you eaten breakfast?" Her mother interrogated her. Dia laughed. She really missed her mother fussing over her and the little things.

"I'm fine, mum. I really miss you. How's everybody back there?"

"Everything's fine here as well. As you heard, your brother's finally-" she playfully rolls her eyes, "staying home for a bit, telling me this nonsense about being too sore to travel. Well, if you ask me I think he's just back for my home-cooked meals."

"Hey! That is nowhere near the truth!" A boy in his late twenties with pale blond hair and gold eyes entered the screen, standing behind her with a boyish smile. "It's been a while since I came for a visit and I missed you… and your meals, mum."

"Dallas! When did you arrive?" Dia asked as she walked towards a nearby bench and sat down.

"Five days ago, just got back from the Kalos Region. It was great." He replied, leaning on the chair their mother was sitting on.

"Really?! You must tell me all about Kal- _Gah!_ " Eevee suddenly shoved herself forward, pushing Dia's face out of the camera and leaning in the small object so that its furry face can only be seen. "Vee, Eevee!"

"Oh, it's little Eevee!" Her mother exclaimed, "She looks to be well taken care of, her fur is groomed well. Good, I taught you well." Her mother is a Pokemon breeder and owns a very successful Pokemon Daycare, she takes care of many trainers' Pokemon as well as train them to be stronger for when their trainer comes back. She made sure her children knew the what to do and what not to do when it came to their Pokemon.

" _Me too! I'm here too. Ehihihihi._ " Zorua popped out of her bag and squished in to fit himself in the screen. It took the two a moment to snap out of their surprise and barraged her with questions.

"How did you manage to get such a rare Pokemon?" Dallas asked.

"He was given to me as an egg in Sinnoh. It was much of a surprise for me when he learned to use Telepathy to speak."

Zorua grinned and started pawing at the screen, " _Can I wear it?_ " Dia pulled her wrist away from them and focused the camera to her. "I don't think so, sweetie."

"Anyway, when will you be coming home, Dia? It's been a while and your father misses you very much, I swear I saw him shed a tear or two when he looks at the photos." Her mum said as Dia smiled sadly at the thought of her dad.

"I'm still thinking about continuing my travels for a bit, I'll be joining two young trainers, one of them is a young boy I'm very fond of and reminds me of someone." Dia said thoughtfully, missing the look the mother and son shared.

"Alright, sweetheart," her mother nodded. "If that's what you want, remember to stay safe on your journey."

"Don't talk to dodgy people, alright little sis?" Dallas smirked.

"I promise," Dia chuckled. "And tell Papa I miss him and I love him too. I'll visit you guys soon."

"See ya, Daddy's Girl." Dallas laughed and ended the call, the screen going blank. Dia shook her head with a chuckle and petted Eevee and Zorua's curious faces.

" _Who were they?_ " Zorua asked.

"My mum and older brother, you'll be meeting them soon." She answered and stood up as the two hopped off her lap. "Well, we best be on our way and ask Ash and Iris about joining them."

" _But they already left..._ " Her eyes snapped to the Tricky-Fox Pokemon.

"What? When?!"

" _This morning and you told them to go anyway."_

"I did, didn't I?" She muttered and shook her head, Zorua's answer bothering her. "What do you mean this morning?" Dia asked and Zorua gave her a dead-panned expression.

" _It's already afternoon."_

The trainer looked around her and saw the sky beginning to turn orange and the lack of the bright sun. "I've been sitting on that bench for most of the day?"

Both Pokemon nodded, looking at her like they didn't believe she didn't notice. "Time sure flies by quickly… do you think we could still catch up to them?"

Eevee shook her head, "Vee, vee."

Dia sighed, "You're right."

A crash from a few feet away sent her screaming and jump ten feet, her Pokemon quickly scrambling to her shoulders. As the dust cleared away, there laid a mess of tangled metal with a bent wheel and still spinning pedals.

"And there's the bike..."

* * *

 _I guess I should be giving you guys a list of her Pokemon, huh? Well, I'll only be giving the list of the Pokemon mentioned, we'll keep the rest a secret until they're ready for their debut ;) (though you probably know already that she's got a Salamence cuz of the cover)_

 **1\. Eevee (F): Shadow Ball, Dig, Hyper Voice, Iron Tail**

 **2\. Zorua (M): Dark Pulse, Aerial Ace, Extrasensory, Copycat**

 **3\. Braviary (M): Brave Bird, Roost, Super Power, Sky Attack**

 _So, I hope you guys like this. Thanks for those who viewed this and left a review, really appreciate it and keep them coming! And how do you guys like her mom and brother? There's still some stuff about her that might surprise you... so stay tuned._

 _-Pugs out!_


	4. A Reunion of Four Friends

Chapter Four, **A Reunion of Four Friends**

"Wait! Don't leave without me! Stop!"

The loud and distressed voice snapped Dia out of her nap. She had managed to find a bus stop after taking her leave from the inn near the Pokemon Center, it was just her luck that the bus would pass by Striaton City. The hum of the engines and the warm breeze had lulled her to sleep that would only be interrupted by the voice that slowly started to sound far away.

She suddenly sprang up from her seat, the napping Eevee on her lap sliding down with a yelp, now wide awake and able to comprehend the situation at hand, and made her way to the driver's seat.

"Vee, Eevee!" Eevee jumped to her trainer's shoulders, glaring at Dia, who didn't pay any mind to her.

"Excuse me! Bus driver- Hello?!" The other passengers stared at her with a curious gaze as she tried to catch the attention of the headphone-wearing driver. _"STOP THE BUS!"_

The bus screeched to a stop, nearly making Dia tumble to the ground if it weren't for her quickly grabbing the seats to steady herself. Eevee had dug her claws on her shoulder to keep her from falling. Dia made her way to the driver, "Wait here, there was somebody trying to catch up."

Dia hopped off the bus and squinted at the heavily panting girl. The girl didn't look like a traveler or a trainer of that matter, her long white skirt and orange leggings weren't really the type of clothes that could pass as traveling clothes, but the familiar sphere of a Pokeball peeking from her green shoulder bag said otherwise. The young trainer looked like she was ready to collapse when she stopped in front of Dia. Poor dear couldn't even have enough breath to say 'thank you' with all her panting.

"Come on, sweetie." Dia said, helping the girl in the bus, "You look ready to drop down." She lead her to the seat she had taken, making sure to give the trainer the window seat to cool her down.

"T-Thank you." The girl said, managing one more deep breath before sagging in her seat with a sigh. Her red face slowly cooling down as the rushing wind blew to her. "I thought I still had time to buy that pretty bow from that gift shop," she confessed.

Dia resisted the urge to slap a hand to her face.

"Vee..." Eevee shook her head.

When the blond haired girl laid eyes on Eevee, her mood suddenly did a 180, from tired and gloomy to full of energy and excited. She snatched the surprised Eevee off of its shocked trainer's shoulder and started inspecting it with happy emerald eyes.

"Oh my gosh, its an Eevee! It's so cute! And that pretty bow makes you even cuter!" She ran a finger on the neatly tied bow and continued to give the uncomfortable Pokemon her undivided attention.

"Excuse me...um-"

"I'll trade you for your Eevee." The girl interrupted, turning her eyes to Dia. "I've got a super cute Tepig I'm sure you'd like..."

Dia's eye twitched. _This girl is far too eager to trade. Must be a new trainer… but she looks a bit old to be one._ She inconspicuously shifted her bag that held a (surprisingly still) sleeping Zorua out of the girl's line of vision.

"I'm sorry, but Eevee's not for trade." She carefully plucked Eevee off of the girl's hand, who in turn pouted. "My name is Dia, and what might your name be?"

"Oh! I'm Bianca." She smiled, showing her perfect pearly whites. "I just got my first Pokemon once my daddy _finally_ said I could, I'm going…."

Dia held a polite smile as Bianca continued to rant, she didn't think the girl would be stopping anytime soon. Eevee had curled herself once more in Dia's lap, ears twitching every time Bianca's voice raised an octave during her rant. After a few more minutes, Bianca had finally calmed down and was happily listening to some music. Dia sighed with relief as the bus was once again back to its peaceful silence. This was a perfect time to get some shut eye before-

"Oh look! Striaton City!"

Dia jumped at Bianca's outburst, but followed her line of vision, where the said city was drawing nearer. She allowed a small smile to appear in her face at the sight of the tall shiny buildings.

"Will you be battling the Striaton Gym?" Dia asked, capturing the starry-eyed trainer's attention.

"Oh, no I wont. I'll be getting off at the last stop, I heard there was a shop selling pretty dresses and wonderful accessories in the next town over."

"But, shouldn't you be training your Pokemon for your Gym Battles or getting yourself a team?" Dia asked.

"Of course I will. But I want to explore first!" Bianca smiled. Dia returned it, albeit rather hesitantly.

The bus squealed to a stop just at the entrance of the city. Many of the passengers hopped off the bus and went their separate ways, while Dia bid Bianca farewell. The girl was quite emotional when it came to goodbyes. Bianca started tearing up while she hugged an awkward Dia, breaking a record of saying 'thank you' in under a minute. Dia gave a final wave of goodbye as the bus took its leave and turned to gaze upon the city.

 _Grrrrrr!_

Dia's eyes snapped to the Eevee on her shoulder, who ducked her head in embarrassment. "I guess it's time for lunch." Dia laughed. "I know just the place."

Eevee grunted unhappily as Dia took another turn. Despite her attempts to point her trainer to the nearby restaurant the blonde was persistent in going on a particular cafe. No matter how many times Dia says they were 'almost there', the Pokemon knew for sure that they were lost.

"We're close, I'm sure of it!" Dia said confidently. Eevee quietly scoffed. But in truth, Dia had no idea where she was, you can count how many times she had visited here with only one hand. They turned to another corner and she stopped in her tracks seeing the familiar yellow fur and the bush of dark violet hair ahead. But her eyes widened when she spotted the person they were conversing with. Her face broke into a smile and she sprinted to them.

" _Cilan!"_

The green haired teenager paused when he heard the shout of his name and looked up. It took him a moment to figure out the approaching girl his whole body brightened up when he finally recognized her.

"Dia!" He took a step forward, dropping his groceries, and held his arms out.

Ash and Iris barely had time to look over their shoulder before a blur of red and blond sped past them and launched itself in Cilan's arms. They stared wide eyed at the two teenagers sharing a tight embrace. Cilan spun them around, laughing, before placing her on the ground, still tangled in an embrace.

"Oh, I missed you so much!" Dia said, pulling away to take a good look at his face.

"You're finally back! It's been so long." He replied.

"It has. I can't wait to see the others."

"Hey Dia, you finally caught up." said Ash. "So, is Cilan the old friend you said you were visiting?"

"That's right." She nodded. "Cilan and I go way back when we were little kids."

"How do you know Ash and Iris, Dia?" Cilan asked, picking up his bag of groceries.

"It's a long story but I met them on my way here." Eevee suddenly appeared out of nowhere and jumped on Cilan's face with a happy squeal. The Pokemon Connoisseur shouted in surprise, pulling the Eevee away from his face.

He blinked at the smiling Pokemon. "It's great to see you too Eevee." He laughed, petting her. There was a tap of his shoulder and he turned his head to find a mirror image of himself, grinning mischievously. _"E_ _hihihihi."_ Every gaped at Cilan's double, except Dia who simply rolled her eyes and reached out to squeezed the dark tail from behind him. He abruptly transformed into Zorua, who giggled at Cilan's shocked face and made his way to Dia's shoulder. _"Hi there, stranger."_

Cilan stared, speechless before his eyes found Dia's waiting for an explanation. She merely shook her head, grinning. "I'll tell you all about it later, but Ash here-" She rested a hand on his shoulder, "-is looking to challenge the Striaton Gym, think you could help the lad?"

Cilan recovered from his state of shock and saw his friend's sly look and smiled. "I see, don't worry I'll take you there. Follow me." He walked ahead, Eevee still resting in his arms, which in fact she didn't look she minded as she nuzzled his chest. Dia walked beside him, taking his arm and shaking her head at her content Eevee.

"Looks like Eevee still fancies you."

"So she does." Cilan chuckled. "How was your journey?"

Dia told him of the many different Pokemon and the beautiful landmarks from all across the regions. They conversed to kill time, making sure to involve the young trainers, Ash asking many questions and sharing his experiences as well. They arrived in front of a dome like building made of stone, columns stood decorating the sophisticated building. The sign on the building indicated that it is the Striaton Gym.

"Well, here it is." Cilan said.

Ash's eyes were sparkling and his smile was so wide while he stared. "Awesome," he said. Before anyone could speak a word he dashed to the building and opened the doors. "Let's battle!" He announced, but paused when he saw the scene before him.

Iris chased after him with an embarrassed look, muttering about how childish Ash was. Cilan and Dia following with a more civilized pace.

Inside was a finely decorated cafe, filled with lovely patterned carpet floors and silk covered tables. Majority of the costumers were women, who stared at Ash curiously before going about their own business. Dia spotted Cilan's brothers and waved.

"Chili, Cress!" She called, hearing Iris question if this place was the Striaton Gym.

The two boys looked as if they had gotten their very first Pokemon when they saw her and walked over.

"Dia, you're finally back." Chili, with his red hair and boyish grin, said as they embraced.

"It's such a joy to see you again." Cress said in his smooth and calm voice.

Dia was about to reply when Cilan cut her off. "Reunions will have to wait, our shift isn't over yet." He led the group to a table and forced Ash to sit down, much to his annoyance.

"So are you all ready to order?" Chili pulled out a little waiter pad, pen hovering over the paper as he gave Dia a wink.

She scanned the menu while Ash and Iris where being fussed over by Cilan and Cress. "I'll have an egg sandwich and fries, please." Eevee jumped on her lap and pointed to the menu. "And some Pokemon food."

"Drinks?" He asked.

"No, thank you." Chili left to get her order, while she watched as Ash started to get more annoyed at the brothers. Chili arrived quickly, balancing her plate of food and Eevee's bowl in one hand, and served her her orders, just as Ash had stood abruptly.

"I just wanna have a Striaton City Gym battle!" He shouted, surprising the three brothers. The cafe stopped their chatter to stare at the young trainer, who was glaring at the three waiters. "I don't see the Gym Leader or a Gym, so I think now's a good time for me to go." Ash said with disappointment, walking to the door. "Pika, Pika..." Pikachu sighed.

"Now wait just a minute..." Ash paused at the sound of Cilan's voice and gasped when the lights suddenly turned off. Dia watched the three brothers walk to the middle of the room, the spot light trained on them, as she munched on a fry.

"What's going on." Iris whispered as the girls around them squealed in delight.

"You'll see." Dia replied with a wink.

"All right then Ash, I'll grant your request!" said Cilan.

"I'll make sure you'll receive a welcome as pleasant and hot as the noon's day sun." Chili said as the girls cheered and swooned at them.

"No, I think we should be cool," Cress cut in. "Like a refreshing glass of water, chilled, of course."

Ash just stood there dumbfounded as he tried to make sense of what the trio were talking about. "What are they talking about?" He muttered to Pikachu.

"This is the Striaton Gym." Cilan announced.

"And the three of us?" Chili joined in.

"We're triplet brothers. _And we're the Gym Leaders._ " They finished making the girls sigh dreamily. Dia laughed when she saw Iris roll her eyes at their antics.

The walls in the fireplace suddenly moved to reveal a secret door that lead to the Gym's battle field. Dia followed everyone to the entrance, climbing up the stairs to observe, Iris and the girls in tow.

"How can a Gym have _three_ Gym Leaders?" Iris asked as they watched the brothers explain how their Gym worked.

"Well," Dia began, leaning on the railing while Eevee took her place on her shoulder. "It's so the challenger gets to choose which Gym Leader he would like to battle, since the three of them each have different Pokemon types: Fire, Water and Grass." The three brother's took out their Pokemon; each of them had roughly the same figure. Monkey-like features with peculiar shaped tufts on their head and colors that matched their types. "There's Peansear the Fire-Type, Panpour the Water-Type and Pansage the Grass-type."

"But won't that just make it easier for the trainer to win if they chose the type that has a disadvantage over their Pokemon?" Iris asked.

"That is true but heir Pokemon are no pushover and besides, I have a feeling Ash would surprise us, don't you?"

She didn't see Iris' eyes roll and mutter, "Sure, whatever."

It was a surprise indeed when they learned that Ash had decided on battling all three of the Gym Leaders, much to the delight of the group of girl from the other end of the balcony. The brothers agreed and had announced that to earn the badge, Ash had to have two wins. The battle begun with Chili as the opponent, the two taking their places at the other end of the rocky field.

"Go, Ash! Go, Chili!" Dia cheered. Ash gave her a thumbs up while Chili gave her a smug grin, to which she playfully rolled her eyes at.

"Attention," Cilan said from the referee stand. "For our first battle today at the Striaton Gym, it's Ash, the challenger, versus Chili, the Gym Leader! Only one Pokemon each and when either side is unable to battle the match is over." The group of girls cheered loudly.

"And... _Begin_!"

"Tepig, I choose you!" Ash threw a Pokeball to the field and the Unova's Fire-type starter Pokemon appeared, flames coming out of it's snout as it snorted.

"A Tepig? Since when had Ash caught a Tepig?" Dia asked in surprise.

"We found him when we were at the Battle Club and he decided to join Ash." Iris summarized. "I don't know what's wrong with Ash, but a Water-Type like his Oshawott would have been a better choice."

"Ash must have his reasons. Though I have to agree with you, it's quite worrying." Dia said, watching intently at the battle. Zorua peeked his head out of her bag to observe and she praised him by patting his head. "Although, seeing Tepig, he looks really tough. Let's just hope he could handle Pansear."

She caught Iris staring at her. "Is something the matter?"

"You talk funny." Was her blunt reply before turning her attention to the battle. Dia chuckled and turned to the battle.

Both Tepig and Ash had battled very well and had managed to win the battle, much to the surprise of Iris. Dia had to admit, despite his peculiar battling style, it was an amazing battle. She got to see the same fire he held while in battle, the synchronization between him and his Pokemon and his passion. Zorua was captivated by the battle, he never really showed any interest in battling, his moves used more for fun and games. But Dia saw a sudden desire to battle in his eyes and it won't be long until Zorua would join the rest of her Pokemon in battles.

"Pansear is unable to battle. Therefore, the winner of the first match is the challenger, Ash!" Cilan announced. Dia clapped enthusiastically, earning some glares from the group of girls. "Now it's time for our second battle. The battle between Ash and Cress is about to begin." Ash had wisely chosen Pikachu for the second battle, while Cress had pulled out his Panpour.

"Using an Electric-Type like Pikachu against a Water-Type like Panpour. I think Ash actually thought this through." Iris mused, the Axew hidden beneath her hair nodded.

"Well, that rules out type advantages. All that's left is strategy and power." Said Dia, scratching Eevee behind her ears.

"And _begin!_ "

The battle didn't prove to be on Ash's side, despite his type advantage. Since Cress had already seen Ash's battle style, he managed to make a plan in the short amount of time he sat and observed. Pikachu never had the chance to land a hit, while Panpour was raining down attacks from left to right.

"Looks to me that the battle is in Cress' favor." Dia said.

"This battle is looking worse by the minute." Iris slumped. "Ew..." Axew agreed.

Dia turned to the battle, just in time to witness Pikachu perform a powerful Volt Tackle. But Cress had a plan to avoid it by commanding Panpour to use Mud Sport under Pikachu's feet to loose its footing. Dia was slightly disappointed to see Ash loose the battle when Pikachu was hit with a powerful Water Gun.

"It all comes down to the third battle." Dia said as Cilan stepped on the opposite end. "To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed that Ash lost."

"What can you do? He's just a little kid." Iris shrugged.

"You don't look older than he is." Dia rose a brow and Iris blushed, not commenting.

" _Begin!"_

Dia couldn't help but slap a hand on her forehead when Ash summoned his Oshawott, more so when the Oshawott didn't seem to want to battle once it caught sight of Pansage. Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing as they all started giving him weird looks.

"Hey, I remember that Oshawott! It was the one that helped us against those criminals." Dia said and Iris nodded, explaining the story of how Oshawott had willingly joined Ash on their way to Striaton City.

So far, Oshawott didn't really impress the Ace Trainer, it was skittish and needed some time to toughen up. Even Eevee and Zorua didn't look impressed, Eevee turned her nose up the air, refusing to look at the battle. Oshawott was to inexperienced against Pansage who battled trainers on a daily basis. Though those thoughts were quickly forgotten when Oshawott had deflected Pansage's Solarbeam with its scallchop, yet it still couldn't land a hit when its Razor Shell attack was stopped by Pansage's Bullet Seed, hitting its scallchop out of its hands.

"All right, the time for the battle to be served is here!" Cilan said, making the group of girls squeal with excitement and Dia playfully roll her eyes at.

"Huh? What's going on? What's he talking about?" Iris asked.

"Oh it's just a Connoisseur thing. He observes the battle and the challenger and their Pokemon and gives them some criticism with the use of fancy words, metaphors and similes." Dia said nonchalantly. "I've been the victim under his evaluations ever since Cilan dreamed to become a Connoisseur."

"A Pokemon Connoisseur _and_ Gym Leader seems to be a bit much." Iris said and Dia agreed.

"There's more to a Pokemon battle than what type your Pokemon is. So don't sell my Oshawott short!" Ash said with a determined grin, making Oshawott puff its chest out, happy for its trainer's faith. "Now, Oshawott use Water Gun on that wall! Just trust me on this one." Ash said when the Sea-Otter Pokemon gave him a dubious look, but obeyed nonetheless.

Everyone gaped when the Water-Gun hit the wall and from rock to rock until it hit the scallchop a few feet away and to Oshawott's awaiting arms.

" _Amazing!_ " Zorua whispered, mouth still agape as Oshawott hit Pansage with a Razor Shell. " _I wanna do that too!_ "

"Sorry sweetie, but I don't think you'll be able to learn those moves." Dia chuckled, petting Zorua's head. "But don't worry, with some training I'll make sure you'll do way better things than that." Zorua smiled and nuzzled her arm.

The battle ended with Ash as the victor when Oshawott landed a powerful blow, with a Razor Shell, to Pansage's side. Dia and her Pokemon cheered enthusiastically when Ash received his first Gym Badge. She was familiar with that feeling as well, when she had won her first Gym she was so proud of herself and her Pokemon she couldn't describe how happy she was when the Gym Leader looked at her so proudly and the shiny badge seemed to wink at her.

"So what's you think, Iris? Dia?" Ash asked, turning to look at the girl at the balcony.

"You didn't have to battle all three Gym Leaders." Iris shrugged, "Do you have the foggiest idea how uncool it would have looked if you had been defeated after you chose to make it more difficult for yourself?"

Her comment made Ash frown, "Man, oh man. You could have just said something nice, you know."

"Well, I, for one, am very proud of you, Ash." Dia cut in, trying to prevent an oncoming argument. "It was a wonderful battle and your Pokemon did an excellent job." Zorua and Eevee sounded their agreement.

" _Yes, yes, yes! It was Amazing!_ " Zorua said, jumping happily.

"Thanks!" Ash smiled, his mood instantly brightening.

"You're very lucky that even though your Pokemon had a type disadvantage, you still came through." Iris said. "Maybe you should forget luck and put a little more effort into strategy and better moves."

"You think so? Then I think I'll battle you next." Ash said, glaring at the girl, who agreed with a wave of her hand, only angering him more.

"Now, now, let's save all that in another time. Come now, we should be happy for Ash's victory." Dia said and returned Ash's grateful look.

"I agree. Although the combination of the two of you does conjure up a certain bouquet." Cilan said.

"I don't think now's the right time, Cilan." Dia gave him a look making him hold his hands up in mock-surrender.

"Bouquet?" Ash said, looking confused at the unfamiliar word.

"It means 'Aroma'. Don't you know anything at all? What a kid!" Iris scoffed and turned to the exit. "We're outta here, Axew."

"Axew." Her partner said as she stepped towards the exit.

"But, wait a minute." Dia said, making her pause. "I thought both of you were traveling together?"

"No we're not!" Iris shouted, making Dia jump at her outburst. "Good job, Ash. See ya!" They watched her angrily walk away and disappear as she descended the stairs.

"Well, that's unfortunate." Dia commented, making Ash sigh. She suddenly jumped over the railing, making the boys shout in surprise, and landed firmly on her feet, Eevee and Zorua following in suit. The boys clutched their chest, trying to calm their racing heart.

"Dia, that was very dangerous!" Cress scolded.

"What were you thinking?!" Cilan shouted.

"Sorry, but taking the stairs seemed so boring." Dia laughed, while they shook their head.

"Please don't do that again." Ash exhaled, his Pikachu doing the same.

"I make no promises," she winked, making Cilan breathe out an exasperated sigh.

* * *

 **1\. Eevee (F): Shadow Ball, Dig, Hyper Voice, Iron Tail**

 **2\. Zorua (M): Dark Pulse, Aerial Ace, Extrasensory, Copycat**

 **3\. Braviary (M): Brave Bird, Roost, Super Power, Sky Attack**

 _Hello! It's been quite a while. But first, I'd like to greet ya'll a belated Happy New Years and Merry Christmas! Anyway, if you spot any spelling and grammar errors, I. am. Sorry. I just hope that this long chapter would be enough to satisfy you and I'll edit it when I have the time. And I recently made a deviantart, if the link doesn't show or work then PM me if you want, I drew a picture of the battle in the last chapter, feel free to take a view. And thanks to the **Guest** who pointed my mistake about Pikachu's moves, so I changed the last chapter a bit._

 _I hope you guys enjoyed this. Please, please, please **Review!**_

 _-Pugs out!_


	5. The Tales To Tell

Chapter Five, **The Tales to Tell**

Dia was currently sipping on a refreshing soda as she sat on a table and waited for the brothers to end their shift, as it was already nearing the afternoon. Zorua and Eevee were playfully chasing each other around her table, their happy laughs drowning out her noisy sips. She heard a pair of chairs scratching the floor and the trainer noticed that only two out of three brothers had seated themselves from across her; their Pokemon jumped off their shoulders and joined her two Pokemon to play.

"Where's Cilan?" She asked, straightening up.

Chili shrugged and leaned back on his chair, while Cress shook his head at his brother's antics.

"He told us that he wanted to have a word with that young trainer who battled us," Cress said. "He seems to have taken interest in him, after all, that boy did manage to battle all three of us and earn a badge."

She suppressed a childish pout for the reason for her friend's absence. She wanted to share her stories about her journey with all three of them and yet her best friend decided to hurry off and probably interrogate poor Ash. She voiced out her thoughts with a sigh and the two brothers laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be back before dark," said Cress.

"Yeah, in the mean time you can tell us all about it and if he's not back by the time you finish we'll just tell him." Chili grinned.

"Alright, then," Dia acquiesced. "Now, where should I start?"

"How about starting with that Zorua of yours?" Cress gestured to the grinning Zorua on their feet. And as if to prove his point, Zorua waved a paw and said, _"Hello, blue man!"_

"Oh, right. Well, I-"

The door suddenly burst open and the group stared at the panting Officer Jenny with surprise. The group of Pokemon ceased their playful chase and stared curiously at the short haired woman. "Everybody must stay indoors at all time. Pokemon are falling asleep all over the city because of a pink mist surrounding the area. This is not a drill! Stay indoors!" And with that announcement she hurried back to her car and sped off to alert the rest of the city. They took a look at the windows and, true to Officer Jenny's word, a pink mist surrounded their line of sight.

"We best lock the doors just in case and do as Officer Jenny said." Cress pulled out a key and locked the door.

"But what about Cilan?" Dia asked worriedly, trying to see through the mist.

Chili grabbed her shoulders and gently led her back to her seat. "Don't worry, he's probably been informed already and is safe and sound inside some building. And anyway, Officer Jenny said that only Pokemon were affected so he's fine."

Dia reluctantly took her seat, glancing worriedly at the cafe's entrance, hoping that her green-haired friend would enter the door safe and sound as Chili had said.

"Now, you can continue on with your story while we wait for the commotion outside to settle down." Cress said, resting his chin on his entwined hands.

"Alright, well, Zorua was given to me as an egg back in Sinnoh from a kind old lady..."

 _15-year old Dia was walking idly on a path in the forest, Eevee was perched on her shoulder and was lazily eyeing the passing trees. It was already midday and Dia had to find a Pokemon Center to stay in before night and yet it felt like a lifetime had past since she had seen the familiar building. Or human life of that matter._

" _Vee..." Eevee slumped down on her shoulders, sighing._

 _Dia rolled her eyes. "Oh, hush up. It's not like you're the one walking and having me on your shoulders." The lack of a proper meal was starting to get to her, all she had been feeding on was some apples and fruit bars. That, and the ever glaring sun torturing her with its heat- she was sure that she was sun-burnt. Eevee humphed and flicked her well-groomed tail on the back of Dia's head, much to her annoyance. "I'm going to pretend that you didn't do that."_

 _The Evolution-Pokemon jumped off her shoulders, blew her raspberries at Dia and ran. "Oh, you little… Come back here!" Dia sprinted after Eevee, who skillfully dodged her trainer's attempts to catch her, missing the view of a small town they were nearing. She suddenly hit a hard wall that sent her to the ground and spill the contents of her bag._

" _Ommf!"_

" _Choke!"_

 _She felt her head spinning and saw a large blurry figure towering over her. When her vision cleared she finally saw the angry expression from a large Machoke, it was growling at her and shouting something in its Pokemon language. Eevee was suddenly between them, growling at the large Pokemon._

" _Eevee, stop!"_

" _Machoke, calm yourself," an elderly voice said, and the Pokemon immediately calmed._

 _Dia's eyes found the frail figure of an old woman beside Machoke. The woman looked kind, an air of serenity and wisdom surrounded her, compared to the intimidating Pokemon beside her. The young trainer could feel the strong bond that connected them, many years of friendship and love showed by the way the Machoke fussed over the sweetly smiling lady._

" _Are you alright, my dear?" The old lady's voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she sat up._

" _O-oh! I'm fine. I'm very sorry about that, it's my fault entirely- are_ you _alright? I didn't hurt you did I- again, I'm-"_

" _It's alright, dear." The woman chuckled. "Though it doesn't seem like you look good yourself. I live in a town just a few minutes down the road, you should have a rest at the Pokemon Center."_

 _Dia perked up at the mention of a town and quickly gathered her things, shoving them in her bag. "Ah, thank you very much! Again, I'm sorry about bumping into your Machoke. I best be off, have a nice day!" She quickly ran down the road, missing the old lady's amused chuckle and her friend's annoyed huff._

 _Dia strolled around the small town after visiting the Pokemon Center for some supplies, returning the townspeople's greetings enthusiastically as she went. She spotted a vending machine by the side and walked towards it._

" _How about a drink? I'm parched, aren't you?" Dia asked the Pokemon on her shoulders._

" _Vee!"_

" _I thought so. Let me just get my wallet." Dia rummaged through her bag and suddenly gasped when a bright light came from it. "Ack!" She shielded her eyes, dropping the bag, and when the light dimmed she opened her eyes. Eevee had cautiously inched forward to the bag, sniffing curiously and poking the strap with her paw. "Eevee, don't!"_

" _nyuuf!"_

 _The two froze. Dia carefully pulled the bag open and gasped-_

"Wait a minute!"

Dia paused her story telling and stared at Chilli. "What?"

"You _stole_ Zorua?!" Chili exclaimed in disbelief. "And from an old lady too-ow!" Dia flicked his forehead, glaring at him.

"Of course not, you muppet! I'm no thief, and if you bothered to let me finish you'd know what happened next. Stop jumping into conclusions." Dia huffed, leaning back to her seat.

Before Chili could retort, Cress spoke. "Alright, let's not make a fuss. Dia, please continue."

Dia grinned and poked her tongue out to a glowering Chili. "As I was saying..."

" _Oh my.."_

 _Big blue eyes stared up at her, a sly grin showed its sharp canines and a bushy black tail wagged. "It's a Zorua."_

" _Vee, Eevee." Eevee popped into its line of vision, sniffing curiously at the newly hatched Pokemon._

" _How in the world could it have possibly ended..." Dia suddenly remembered the little incident with the old lady and her Machoke. "Oh."_

 _The Zorua took a wobbly step as it climbed out of the bag and when it stood on all fours it smiled at Dia as if waiting for her praise. Dia's heart suddenly melted and she couldn't help but coo and scoop it into her arms. "Aw, sweet little thing… I love it already." Zorua nuzzled into her arms and Dia felt like she was on cloud 9._

" _Vee! Vee!" Eevee stomped her foot and glared disapprovingly at her trainer._

" _You're right," Dia sniffed. "I have to return it… but-"_

" _Vee!"_

 _Dia sighed and held out Zorua. "Sorry, sweetie, but we have to get you back to your owner." She gathered her things and began her search, conversing with the Pokemon in her arms, who seemed to be concentrating intently on every word she said. Eevee was glaring enviously at the Pokemon in her trainer's arms as she walked behind them. Her resentment grew when she spotted the two rubbing noses like love-sick fools. She gags._

" _Aren't you just the sweetest...your fur is so soft and fluffy...so cute." Zorua's smiling face showed how much it enjoyed Dia's attention and touches._

" _Eevee!" Eevee pointed to her left, capturing Dia's attention. They spotted the old woman was sitting on a bench with her Machoke, overlooking a pond filled with Marills and Azumarills. Dia quickly walked over and stood beside her, making sure not to startle her._

" _Uh, excuse me?" Dia said. The Machoke took a look at her and snorted, capturing the old lady's attention._

" _Oh! You're the young lady from before." The woman said, facing Dia with the same kind smile as before. She spotted the Zorua in her arms. "Have you made a new friend?"_

" _Uh, actually I think it's yours." Dia saw the woman look at her with surpise and explained. "I think that I had somehow managed to slip it into my bag when I was gathering my things and I just realized it when it hatched a few moments ago. So, I'm returning it. I apologize." Dia held out the Pokemon, who sniffed curiously at the woman._

" _I think you're mistaken, my dear. That Pokemon seems to be very attached to you, so it must be yours." The old woman said. Dia looked at the woman with surprise and saw a twinkle in her eye._

" _Wha-but-I- you-" The young trainer tried to form words, while the old woman merely chuckled and stood._

" _I've had that egg for a while and I was starting to loose hope that it was going to hatch anytime soon. But it seems I made the right choice giving it to you. I'm happy I got to see what it hatched into." The woman patted Zorua's head and gave Dia a warm smile. "Take care of it and train it to become a strong Pokemon with a stronger heart." And with that she left the young trainer staring after her. Dia stared at Zorua and smiled, something warm bubbled in her chest._

" _I will."_

* * *

 **1\. Eevee (F): Shadow Ball, Dig, Hyper Voice, Iron Tail**

 **2\. Zorua (M): Dark Pulse, Aerial Ace, Extrasensory, Copycat**

 **3\. Braviary (M): Brave Bird, Roost, Super Power, Sky Attack**

 _Wah...I feel so bad for making you wait so long for just a filler. Life keeps me on my toes. Busy,busy,busy me, I just finished my break and now I'm back to school TT^TT. Thank you all for those who have read and took part in giving me 12 follows and 9 favorites. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can._

 _Please keep those wonderful_ ** _Reviews_** _coming!_

 _-Pugs out!_


	6. The More the Merrier

Chapter Six, **The More the Merrier**

It was nearing the afternoon and after the group had exchanged a few more stories the pink mist slowly started to fade. Cress had been the first to notice and point it out. They waited a few more moment to make sure the mist had disappeared and stepped outside, they saw some people as well, holding their Pokemon close.

"We should go check the Pokemon Center. I'm sure Cilan and the others will be there," Dia said as the brothers summoned their Pokemon back in their Pokeballs and nodded in agreement. Eevee took her place on her shoulder and Zorua in her blue shoulder bag and they hurried to their destination. They saw people cautiously stepping out of the safety of the buildings, their Pokemon clutched closely against them. They saw the Pokemon Center just as a police car pulled up and Cilan, Ash, and Iris stepped out, waving to the car as it sped off.

"Cilan!" Dia shouted to get his attention. The green-haired connoisseur turned around and held out his arms as Dia tackled him to an embrace. He's quite used to her displays of affection and with a decade worth of friendship you'd pick out a thing or two. "We've been so worried, did you ran for cover? Your Pokemon and you weren't harmed, right?"

"Dia, we're fine. Please don't worry. We helped stop the pink mist by accompanying Dr. Fennel to the Dream yard," Cilan explained, pulling back from the hug.

"The Dream Yard? What could you possibly find there? The site's been abandoned not too long ago," Chili asked.

"Turns out a group called Team Rocket's been behind all of it. They captured a Pokemon called Musharna to release that pink mist all over the city but we managed to save it," Ash said, eyes hardening at the mention of the infamous team.

Dia felt the bubbling anger in her stomach, her eyes narrowed and mouth turned into a frown. That's the second time she heard that name and no doubt it's the same group from the harbor a few days ago that nearly stole Zorua and Pikachu. She felt Zorua nudging her balled fist, turning whiter as her hands tightened, and her anger slowly died down. She gave the Pokemon a reassuring pat on his head and scratch his chin in thanks.

"Well, at least you're all safe and sound. Come, let's go home and have some rest. You're welcome to join us Ash," Cress smiled at the boy.

"O-Oh, well I really don't want to intrude, the Pokemon Centre-"

"There's no need for any of that, sweetheart, it's the least we can do," Dia winked, looping her arm around his. "And you're also welcome, Iris, what do you… say. Where did she go?" They all turned their heads to try and find the purple haired girl but found no trace of her.

"Looks like she ran off again," Ash sighed.

"Will she be alright? It's beginning to become dark," Dia said worriedly.

"Knowing Iris she'll be fine, she's got her Axew with her."

"If you say so. Now, off we go! Cilan's cooking awaits us!"

"Awesome!"

"Pika, Pi!"

* * *

The following day found the group outside the Striaton Gym, the sun having just made its way to the sky. Cress and Chili were staring at their brother with shock at his declaration. Ash was waiting patiently a few feet ahead, watching the triplets, while Dia was getting a cup of coffee from the triplet's cafe.

"You're going on a journey?"

"You're serious?" Cress said, managing to snap out of his state of shock.

Cilan nodded. "I'm as serious as can be. After Ash and I had our battle, our talks convinced me that I just couldn't resist the urge anymore. It's so clear, there's more to the pairing of Pokemon and trainer than I originally thought, much more! I know this will help me become an even better Pokemon connoisseur."

The two brothers shared a look before giving their older brother an encouraging smile. "In that case, we won't stop you, bro," Chili grinned.

"We want you to be happy and become the best connoisseur," Cress smiled.

Cilan's smile stretched so wide that it made his cheeks hurt and he gave his brothers a tight embrace. "Thank you both so much."

"Don't worry about the Gym, we'll take good care of it while you're away and good luck to you." They pulled apart just as Dia arrived at the scene, a cup of coffee in her hand and looking fresh, the same could not be said for her two Pokemon. Zorua was inside her blue bag, head popping out and eyes nearly closed, while Eevee was practically slumped on her shoulder, half awake.

"Did I miss the farewell hug?" She grinned and embraced the trio. She pulled back enough to give Chili and Cress a peck on the cheek. "I'm going to miss you guys."

"You never really told us the reason why you came back," Chili said.

"Well, you know my mum, she'll stop at nothing to get what she wants and that is, apparently, my visit back home," Dia laughed. "She wants a great big homecoming, but I told her that I'd like to explore Unova again and join Ash on his journey before going back home."

"You're joining Ash? I have decided to follow him as well!" Cilan beamed, happy that his best friend would be joining them.

"Really? This is going to be so amazing, traveling with you here again, just like the old days!" Dia squealed, hugging her green-haired friend. They both said their last farewells to the brothers, waving as they walked farther away with Ash and on to their journey.

Eevee made herself comfortable in Cilan's arms as the group made chatted and got to know each other. "So where are you two headed?" Ash asked.

"Wherever you're headed! I want to go on your journey with you. Plus, you haven't answered all my questions yet," Cilan smiled and Ash gave him a questionable look.

"The same goes for me," Dia joined. "I believe, Ash, that journeying with you would be more than just a journey, it would be an adventure! And since your goal is the Unova League, I'd be there to give you some advice."

Ash smiled genuinely and nodded, his Pikachu squealed in delight. "Alright! Let's travel together. So which way are we headed?"

"Let's see…" Cilan pulled out his map, the pad coming to life once Cilan pushed the button. "Looks like the next Gym would be the Nacrene Gym at Nacrene City."

"That's just a few days north," Dia commented, remembering the Gym. She gained her fourth badge at that Gym, she smiled at the memory of thinking that her hard work finally paying off once she gained that badge.

"Boo!" The trio jumped and yelled in fright at the sudden appearance of Iris. The girl was hanging upside down on a branch, grinning cheekily at their expression. She flipped off the tree with ease, maintaining her cheeky expression as she stared at them. "Did I scare you?" She mocked.

"Of course, you did!" Ash shouted, glaring at the young trainer.

"I have a great idea!" Cilan exclaimed. "Why don't all four of us travel together? It seems to me the way we compliment each other as a winning team, makes for a great recipe."

"Yes, that sounds fantastic! The more the merrier I say," Dia nodded.

"What do you think Iris?" Ash asked, happy at the thought of a new travel buddy. "Let's make our dreams come true together. I want to be a Pokemon Master, Cilan wants to become the world's greatest Pokemon connoisseur-" Cilan puffed his chest out. "- Dia wants to win the Unova League, and you… What did you wanna be again?"

Although the Unova League is what brought her back to the Unova region, it was never really her goal. She didn't bother to correct the young trainer, but her real goal was something far greater than winning the Unova League. She could just feel her determination still burning bright as it has been for years, that moment back then is what made her what she is now, and soon she'll return the favor.

"It's a secret," Iris giggled, her Axew popping out of her bushy hair, and ran ahead of them.

The three trainers laughed at her antics and followed, starting their journey together.

* * *

 _Sorry for taking so long and for the short chapter, but I started getting bored with Pokemon for a while until Pokemon Sun and Moon came out. It was just like, BAM! 'Girl wut u doin sittin here doing nothing? Get up, Get writing and stop making your poor readers wait!' That, and there was a reviewer in my other fic who really wanted an update. So thank them because they encouraged me and made me guilty enough to get my ass up and update XD_

 _Anyway, I made a schedule for this and so updates will be every two weeks (so next week won't have an update but the week after that) on a Sunday **UTC** time. _

_Again, I'm sorry for making you wait, but I hope this will satisfy you enough to wait for the next update. I won't be focusing much on grammar, I'll be editing this once I'm done with the whole fic. But if you see any big mistakes then PM me :)_

 _Btw, if ya'll into Kung Fu Panda, I've made a fic, updates every Wednesday. Have a read and send a review._

 _But that doesn't mean you can't **Review**_ _this fic either, so leave one as well._

- _Pugs out!_


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